The Little Things
by mascaret
Summary: Sometimes it was only the little things that got you through another day.


A/N Written for the Make Laura Happy Challenge

_The Little Things_

"**CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE."**

Laura ignored the warning that repeated endlessly.

She wasn't home and she wasn't going to be returning home – at least not tonight. She had no _home _here on New Caprica and tonight she wouldn't even be returning to her own tent.

"**CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE."**

Leaning further into the embrace of the man who held her she inhaled his aroma. As a former smoker she found it comforting. Underneath the scent of smoke she caught a faint trace of cologne. She wondered if he still owned some and had worn it for the occasion or if she was just smelling the remnant of years of wearing it.

That this had been her idea didn't necessarily make it a good one. She had had some _stellarly_ bad ideas in her time and she still wasn't convinced that this wasn't one of them.

"**CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE."**

It was certainly reckless - she knew that. But it felt good – at least for the moment – and it was oh so needed.

Of course, she doubted she would still be feeling good come the morning.

The slight tightening of the arms that were around her in a loose embrace startled her out of her revery even before Sherman spoke. "You know he's coming back."

She dipped her head so that she didn't have to meet his eyes as she asked. "You really think so?"

He responded without a second of consideration. "You bet your sweet bippy."

"**CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE."**

"There are how many baseships circling up above us?" Laura shook her head. "He'd be a fool to come back."

"Maybe so, but don't you remember what happened that time Starbuck went missing? He wouldn't stop searching for her even when her air had run out and all hope was lost."

"But he did." Laura corrected him.

"Only because you talked him into it. You're not there to do that this time. You're here. All the more reason for him to come back."

"Mmm." She offered a little hum as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"**CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. RETURN TO YOUR HOMES AT ONCE. THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING."**

The record playing began to skip. Laura watched Tyrol abandon his wife and child to try to fix the sole surviving record on New Caprica.

Cottle again assured her. "Don't you waste even a minute on worrying about it. That fool will be back."

"Madame President." Bringing Saul with him, Sam Anders came trotting over to her. The usually self assured young man looked anxious as he cut into the conversation, but not the dance. "I think we've made our point. We've shown the cylons that we won't bow to them. We still have our independence. Maybe it's time to call it a night? I'm getting reports that centurions are starting to gather over that ridge."

At Laura's nod, Saul gave the signal for the crowd to disperse.

"Leave it." Laura told Sam as he started to try to disconnect the wires that enabled the audio to be broadcast throughout the tent city. "If it's not here when they get here the cylons are just going to tear apart all of the tents looking for it."

Acknowledging the truth of her words with a nod, Sam left it behind as he joined the rest of the crowd in dispersing.

"You should head out as well." Laura told the straggling behind Cottle.

"What about you?" Cottle asked. "You going to bug out with me?"

"I'm a bit more expendable than you. Maya can hold down the fort at the school for a few days."

Cottle shook his head but made no attempt to argue.

Turning to Saul, Laura made a request. "Even if you and I leave they're just going to go to our tents and drag the both of us into detention. I don't _think _that they'll shoot if it's just the two of us. Care to stay and finish out the dance?"

Sending a displeased Ellen on her way with Cottle, Saul turned the music back on and offered Laura his hand.

"Sorry!" Saul apologized after stepping on her toes for the second time in as many minutes. "I'm not much of a dancer. The Old Man on the the other hand – he can dance!"

Laura couldn't help but laugh at his unintended word choice. "Yes, he can."

Sometimes it was only the little things that got you through another day.

"Happy Colonial Day, Colonel."

_finis_


End file.
